Railway signal system.



RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILVED FEB. 3. 1914.

Patented 001. 17,- 1916.

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RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3, 1914.

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APPLICATION FILED FEB-'3, 1914.

Patented Oct. 17,1916.

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GEORGE P. OROURKE, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, .MINNESOTA.

RAILWAY SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

Application filed February 8, 1914. Serial No. 816,136.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Gnonon P. ORoURKn, citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signal Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a signaling system for use on railroads or trolley lines, and the object of the invention is to provide a mechanism by means of which the engineer of a train will be warned of the presence of another train moving in the same or the opposite direction. x

A further object is to provide absolute safety for a train at all times, whether it is standing on track or running at high speed through a fog or storm.

A further object is to provide a signal system which will indicate to an engineer that a switch is open or there is abroken rail in the track.

Other objects of the iiuvention Will appear from the following detail description.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of a car standing on a track, and with my improved signaling device applied thereto, Fig. 2 is a view of the track rails, showing the signal circuit rails and the position of the signal lamps between them, Fig. 3 is a. transverse sectional view of one of the trzmk rails and the contact rail, showing the manner of mounting the signal lamp, Fig. 1 is a plan sectional view of the same, Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, illustrating the mechanism for operating the signal target, Fig. 6 is a detail view of the mechanism employed for dropping the contact shoes upon the contact rails.

In the drawings, 2 represents a car of the ordinary passenger coach type and operated by a suitable source of power, 3 an internal combustion engine, and 1 a dynamo, operatively connected with this engine. A conductor 5 for an electric circuit is connectedv to the dynamo and to the truck 6 of the car, makin contact through the truck wheels with the track rail-7. A conductor 8 is also connected with the dynamo through a circult breaker 9 and is connected to a hub 10 that is supported by a shaft 23' on a bracket 11 secured to the truck frame, as shown in Fig. 6, and insulated therefrom by a suitable non-conductor 12. The hub 10 is insulated from the 'shaft 23. A contact arm 13, preferably curved, is mounted on the hub 10 and is provided with a contact shoe 14 to bear on the contact rail 15 that is arranged parallel .tov the rail 7 and spaced therefrom preferably a distance of about one foot. The circuit will be closed between these rails oy-the signal lamps, as will hereinafter appear. The circuit breaker 9 operates to protect the mechanism in case the car or the electric conductors are struck by a bolt of lightning, and I prefer to provide conductors 16 and 17 leading to a storage battery 18 and providedwith a switch 20 which may be closed in case of damage to the dynamo or the source of motive power and supply a current of electricity to the power become disabled. If for any reason the engineer may wish to stop the dynamo, he can, by throwing the switch 20,- insure the lighting of the system. The rear truck of the car is provided with a similar contact arm and shoe 13 and 14 in circuit with the conductors at the forward end of the car and with the truck through the conductors 21 and 22. It may happen that the shoe 14 may not make a good contact with the rail because of any foreign substance collecting between the shoe and the rail, and by having the additional shoe 14 at the rear of the car and in the same circuit, I provide a double contact and insure the completion of the circuit. The opposite side of the car is equipped with a duplicate signaling system,

' the spring arm belng indicated in Fig. 6 by air supply on the car, the flow of air to the c linder being controlled by the valve 29. his valve may be set to admit the fluid pressure under the plunger and lift the contact arm and shoe, or it may be released to allow the escape of air from the cylinder and the arm and shoe to drop by gravity and make contact with the rail beneath. The contact shoes at the rear of the car will be raised and lowered by a pressure actuated plunger (not shown) corresponding to the one described with reference to the shoes at the forward end of the car, so that the rise and fall of the shoes will be simultaneous. The shoe will normally rest and slide upon the contact rail but may be easily and quickly lifted with the air pressure in passing crossovers or where it is not desirable to install contact ra'ils, as in switch ing yards and terminals. Each flexible connection is provided with a short extension 30 adapted to engage a hook 31 on the car frame and support a contact arm and shoe in a raised, inoperative position, preventing it from dropping down upon the contact rail when the air is released from. the plunger cylinder; I

At suitable intervals between the contact rail and track rail 1 provide bars 31. In practice, I arrange these bars about 150 feet apart, but this distance may be varied to suit different conditions of the service. The contact rails are preferably mounted on these bars and insulated therefrom, as indicated at 32. Upon each bar 31 I arrange a housing 33 secured to the contact rail and insulated therefrom, as at 34. The housing has a port or opening 35 near the top thereof and a similar port 36 in the end wall facing the track rail, as indicated plainly in Fig. 3. Within the housing I arrange an incandescent lamp 37, of suitable candle power, incircuit with the contact rail through the end wall of the housing and insulated from the housing and provided with a conductor 38in circuit with the bar 31 and the track rail 7. When, therefore, the shoe on the left hand side of the car is dropped down upon the contact rail and the dynamo is in operation or the circuit is closed through the switch 20, a current will be established through the track rails and shoe and the signal lamps. A series of lamps in front of and in the rear of the car or train will be lighted, the number of lamps depending upon the voltage and the length of the circuit. Generally I prefer to provide a current of such voltage that the lamps will be lighted for a distance of half a mile in front of and in the rear of the train. The rays of the lamps will be thrown up through the openings 35 and also through the openings 36 against the adjacent face of the track rail and the engineer, by glancing at this rail,

can see the lamp rays reflected thereon.

For daylight signaling I prefer to provide a tar et 39 mounted on a rod 40 that is pivote at 41 in the wall of the housing and provided with an arm 42 which projects into the path of a solenoid plunger 43 on the solenoid 44 that is in circuit with the contact rail and with the plate 31. The movement of the solenoid plunger when the circuit is closed will lift the target to a point above the housing in Fig. 5, where 1t will be plainly visible to the engneer in clear or dry weather, When the rays of the lamp and the reflection on the rail might not be as clearly seen. The targets may be made of rubber, or any suitable material that would be visible froma distance. As heretofore indicated, each train or car will be equipped with duplicate systems, one on each side of the train, and a front and rear contact shoe on each side and the signal system will be under the control of the train despatcher. Upon leaving the terminal, the despatcher will order the train crew to use, for instance, the right hand rail and in that case the engineer will drop his contact shoes on the right hand rail and raise the corresponding shoes out of contact with the left hand rail. The signal lamps will then be lighted on the right hand side of the track for a considerable distance, say half a mile in the front and rear of the train. When another train starts out in the same direction, the despatcher will instruct the train crew to use the signal lamps on the left hand side of the track and the engineer of that train will raise the right hand contact shoes and if, while the train is running, he approaches the lighted zone of the train ahead, he will instantly be warned by the lights in the rear of the first train that the forward train is either standing still on the track or that his train is approaching too near for safety. As long as the right hand rail remains dark he willknow that the track is clear and if the rail that he is using continues in circuit with the lamps, he will know that one side of the track is in good order and the running time of his train need not be reduced, even though the weather may be stormy or foggy.

In various ways the details of construction herein shown and described may be modified and still be within the scope of my invention.

1 claim as my invention:

1a The combination, with the track rails, of insulated contact rails arranged adjacent thereto and spaced therefrom, a series of lamps in circuit with said rails and arranged to throw the rays of light upon said track rails and located a predetermined distance apart between each track rail and the adjacent contact rail, and circuit closing shoes adapted to travel on said contact rails and of the lamp, as indicated 2. The combination, with the track rails,

V of insulated contact rails arranged parallel which openings therewith and spaced therefrom, electric lamps spaced apart a predetermined distanceand disposed between said track rails and said contact rails on each side of the track and in circuit therewith, a car, contact shoes mounted thereon and adapted to rest on said contact rails, means for raising said shoes to an inoperative position, a source of energy in circuit with said shoes, there being a set of shoes on each side of the car, the dropping of the shqes on one side closing the circuit through the lamps on that side, said lamps being arranged to throw rays of light upon the track rails in the front and the rear of the car.

3. The combination, with a car, of forward and rear contact shoes mounted thereon on each side of the car and having means for raising and lowering them, a source of elec trical energy in circuit with said shoes, track rails for said car, contact rails arranged adjacent to said track rails and insulated therej from and in the path of said contact shoes, signal lampsin circuit with said track rails and said contact rails and substantially in the plane of said rails to throw rays of light upon the webs of said track rails in the front and rear of the car, the lowering of the shoes on one side of the car closing the circuit through said signal lamps in the front and the rear of said car and indicating a danger zone to a car approaching from either direction.

4. The combination, with a track rail, of a contact rail, a series of signal lamps in circuit with said rails and spaced apart a predetermined distance, housings inclosing said lamps and provided with openings opposite the web of said track rail and through the rays of light are thrown upon said web when the circuit is closed througlrsaid signal lamps, a car, a contact shoe carried by said car and adapted to rest upon said contact rail, and a source of electrical energy on said car in circuit with said shoe, the closing of said circuit lighting the lamps for a predetermined distance in the front and rear of the car.

5. The combination, with the track rails, of contact rails spaced therefrom, signal lamps arranged a predetermined distance apart and in circuit with said track rails and said contact rails, lamps means inclosing said track rails and through which openings the rays of light are directed upon said webs, a contact shoe mounted to rest" on said contact rails and in circuit with a source of electrical energy for closing the circuit through said lamps for a predetermined distance in the front and rear of said shoe.

6. The combination, with the track rails, of insulated contact rails arranged adjacent thereto and parallel therewith, housings mounted on said contact rails at intervals, electric lamps arranged within said housings and in circuit with said contact rails, said housings having port-holes therein through which the rays oflight from said lamps are projected upon the adjacent track rails, and circuit closing shoes adapted to travel on said contact rails and in circuit with a source of electrical energy and with said lamps, whereby, as said shoes move over said contact rails, said lamps will be lighted for a predetermined distance in the .front and rear of said shoes.

7. The combination, with the track rails, of insulated contact rails arranged adjacent thereto and spaced therefrom, electric lamps mounted on said contact rails at intervals and in circuit therewith, housings for said lamps having ports therein for directing the rays of light upon the adjacent track rails, contact shoes adapted to travel on said contact rails and in circuit with a source of electrical energy and with said lamps, for lighting said lamps a predetermined distance in the front and rear and movable signals operated simultaneously with the closing of the circuit through said lamps.

8. The combination, with the track rails, and brackets secured thereto at intervals and projecting outwardly therefrom, of, contact rails mounted on the said brackets and insulated therefrom, electric lamps mounted onsaid contact rails and in circuit therewith and between said rails and the adjacent track rails, means for directing the rays of light from said lamps upon the adjacent track rails, a; car, contact shoes mounted thereon, and adapted to rest and travel upon said contact rails, a source of electrical energy in circuit with said shoes,-said shoes, when in engagement with said contact rails, closing the circuit through said lamps and illuminating them for a predetermined distance in the front and in the rear of the car to throw the light upon said track rails.

9. The combination, with the track rails,

of a series of lamps arranged in rows upon each side of the track in the plane of the rails, means for directing the rays of light from said lamps only upon the track rails on the same side of the track, contact rails upon opposite sides of the track in circuit with the rows of lamps respectively, a car, contact shoes carried by said car and adaptof said shoes,

ed to travel on said contact rails, the drop- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set ping of a shoe upon the contact rail on one my hand this 23d day of January 1914. side of the track closing the circuit through GEORGE R GROURKE the lamps "on that side, whereby the track rails on that side Will be illuminated for .a Witnesses:

predetermined dlstance in the front and GENEVIEVE El SORENSEN, the rear of the car. EDWARD A. PAUL. 

